One of the results of refusing to drink the green conservative Kool-Aid is the fact that it doesn’t work. It’s based on Ayn Rand’s utterly insane theories that have managed to get us into this mess in the first place, thanks to Alan Greenspan. As I write this, my world has been turned upside down with certain financial news. As I write this, I have realized that I am not stupid when it comes to money and finances. Neither are you. We need to grow-up and realize until conservatives open their eyes and realize they are not the be all and end all, we are going to continue to lose, financially.

Just because someone has a “conservative” label on them does not make them right. Just because someone has a “liberal” label on them doesn’t make them wrong. It makes them – us human.

We need to have the courage to do what needs to be done, financially, and not be influenced by people we think are smarter than we are, because of a label or a position. Sometimes those people are where they are because they are lucky. I’m beginning to think luck plays a greater role in this than skill, position, and education.

It’s just blind luck.

Or – it’s someone doing something unethical, crooked, or just plain old illegal.

I’m coming to believe this is true:

“...Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, a member of the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives, said that if Republicans continue to demand a tax plan with breaks for the wealthy, Democrats should “take the question to the American people” in January by allowing historically low rates from the Bush years to expire.

“If they refuse, if the Republican position remains as it is today – which is, they are going to insist on holding tax relief for 99 percent of the American people hostage – I think we should just take that debate into next year,” Van Hollen said….”

So, as good little Republicans, we’re told that we need someone like Mitt Romney as POTUS. He was a great financial wiz, we are told. He is the one to lead us out of this socialist induced disaster. If we even question his background or his experience we are socialist.

Maybe he was just slightly tainted with what he did.

We can’t ask that question. Doing so is socialist.

Politico

Maybe we’re being brainwashed.

“…Marshall and BB&T Bank accepted a donation that created the “BB&T Center for the Advancement of American Capitalism” in the college of business during the spring of 2008. With this contract, Marshall became one of 26 across the nation to establish a BB&T Center on its campus with patronage from the BB&T Charitable Foundation.

Marshall officials accepted the $1 million donation from BB&T to be made in annual installments of $100,000 for 10 years, according to a document obtained, which laid the basic provisions of the deal. This money, according to the document, will remain within the college of business and be contributed to the workings of the BB&T Center.

Having the center, according to the proposal to establish document, will “introduce students to the fundamentals of a capitalist market economy.” This, according to the document, will show students how capitalism ensures individual and economic freedom.

The agreement between Marshall and BB&T consists of four main provisions Marshall must fulfill in order to continue receiving the annual $100,000, according to the document.

“The first thing is that the book “Atlas Shrugged” must be distributed,” said Calvin Kent director of the BB&T Center. “The second part (of the agreement) is that a course focused on the book must be conducted.”

Many economists see “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand as the best representation of her philosophy, which stresses the use of free markets, individualism and objectivism. The book is a novel first and secondly serves as a closer look at free markets and individual freedom, Kent said.

Of the four provisions in the contract between Marshall and BB&T, the mandated teaching of a text — “Atlas Shrugged”— and the creation of a course where that text would serve as the main curriculum drew much controversy on Marshall’s campus and across the nation.

According to the proposal to establish document, the university must conduct “at least one upper level course each semester that focuses on the principles set forth in Ayn Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged.’’”

The course which fulfills this role at Marshall is Economics 408 (Comparative Economic Systems, or ECN 408). The class is not required for business majors, according to Kent. It is an elective in which both majors and non-majors may enroll in. As part of the agreement, Kent said, the course could not be mandated for a student’s graduation and could only be offered as an elective.

Students are given a free copy of “Atlas Shrugged” and are required to read the text as part of the curriculum, Kent said.

Each year 500 copies of “Atlas Shrugged” are purchased by the college of business through the $100,000 it receives annually from the BB&T Charitable Foundation, according to the center’s budget. The books are then given to all graduate students and students enrolled in ECN 408, Kent said. The college spends $3,090 annually to purchase the 500 copies, according to the proposal document….”

Rand’s ideas are a financial disaster. They’re being used in Europe and it is a problem.

NY Times

“…But here’s the thing: If Wall Streeters are spoiled brats, they are spoiled brats with immense power and wealth at their disposal. And what they’re trying to do with that power and wealth right now is buy themselves not just policies that serve their interests, but immunity from criticism.

Actually, before I get to that, let me take a moment to debunk a fairy tale that we’ve been hearing a lot from Wall Street and its reliable defenders — a tale in which the incredible damage runaway finance inflicted on the U.S. economy gets flushed down the memory hole, and financiers instead become the heroes who saved America.

Once upon a time, this fairy tale tells us, America was a land of lazy managers and slacker workers. Productivity languished, and American industry was fading away in the face of foreign competition.

Then square-jawed, tough-minded buyout kings like Mitt Romney and the fictional Gordon Gekko came to the rescue, imposing financial and work discipline. Sure, some people didn’t like it, and, sure, they made a lot of money for themselves along the way. But the result was a great economic revival, whose benefits trickled down to everyone.

You can see why Wall Street likes this story. But none of it — except the bit about the Gekkos and the Romneys making lots of money — is true….”

What do I take from all of this? First of all, I’ve been watching financial news for several years. I’ve learned that George Soros is not all that bad, and Alan Greenspan is not all that smart. I’m not really interested in ideology right now. I want something that works, financially.

Mitt Romney made a few million. George Soros, who is also in the hedge fund business has made billions. It could be that Soros is a heck of a lot smarter than Romney and his apologists on the right.

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SJ Reidhead (aka The Pink Flamingo) is a writer based in New Mexico. The author of two published novels, both westerns: Dust Devil and The Second Mrs. Earp and two published works of non-fictions: TRAVESTY: Frank Waters Earp Agenda Exposed and A Church for Helldorado, Endicott Peabody's 1882 Tombstone Diary. One of the leading authorities on the life of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone during the Earp years, she is currently writing a series of murder mysteries set in modern day Tombstone. The author is also working on a book about fashion in the Wild West. When complete, there will be over 2100 unpublished antique photographs dating from 1855-1910.

The author's work has appeared in Wild West, True West, Blogcritics, and The Tombstone Times. Recently the author has had to deal with a father who succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease. This is leading to a book dealing with the frustrations of dealing with the frustrations of the disease, finance, legal, health-care, and things no one bothers telling families about it. She is currently working on a murder mystery series set in modern day Tombstone and Cochise County. Several books of essays on Christian living are currently in edits. A book of essays and revisions of articles about Wyatt Earp has been completed and will include her latest work detailing her theory about the murder of his second wife, Mattie.

SJ Reidhead has been involved in Republican politics since she was 'a little kid'. During the Reagan years she was a lobbyist working with various non-profit organizations who were attempting to salvage NASA and the American space program after the disastrous Carter years. In spite of ups and downs, and numerous disappointments, politically, it is obvious the only political hope for this country is via the Republican Party. Along with politics she is an opera fanatic, has been known to stalk baritones to the point of being a baritone junkie, and loves baseball.

The Pink Flamingo went on line on October 4, 2005.

THE PINK FLAMINGO STORY

It started out as a joke. During the seven years I worked with the girls of my parish, leading a youth group, one of the things that I stressed were manners. Part of having manners, the way I see it, is to know how to set a proper table, host a party, cater it, and clean up afterward. I was fortunate enough to have a group of very talented girls in my youth group. They learned how to plan for, and execute large church functions, very properly. During one such function I noticed there were several incredibly tacky pink flamingos sitting on the table. Knowing the girls were up to something, I said nothing. A few months later they did the same thing at a function I was hosting at my home. I said nothing. They had a birthday party for me. More pink flamingos appeared - and a joke was born.

Thanks to the girls, all of whom are now grown, I have a collection of pink flamingos. It has become an ongoing joke. When I began working on my political blog, I realized the only possibly title was The Pink Flamingo!